Search for STD Testing locations
|
|
 |
Syphilis
Syphilis is a bacterial STD that can infect men and women. Symptoms can include painless sores, itchless rashes, or there may be no symptoms. There are 3 stages of syphilis. If left untreated, serious complications can occur, such as organ damage or death. A blood test can tell you if you have syphilis. Syphilis is easily treated and cured in the early stages of infection.
Get the Facts
 Symptoms
Many people infected with syphilis do not have any symptoms for years. In the primary stage, syphilis may cause one or more painless sores to appear at the spot where syphilis entered the body. In the secondary stage, an itchless rash may appear on the palms of the hands and bottoms of the feet.
CDC information on Syphilis symptoms
|
|
Who
Any sexually active person can get syphilis. It is more common among men who have sex with men.
CDC information on who is affected by Syphilis
|
|
Testing
An accurate, safe, and inexpensive blood test by a health care provider can tell you whether or not you have syphilis. Some providers may also be able to tell by examining a sample from an infectious sore (chancre) using a special microscope.
CDC information on testing for Syphilis
|
|
Transmission/Prevention
Syphilis is passed through direct contact with a syphilis sore. Sores occur mainly on the external genitals, anus, or in the rectum. Sores also can occur on the lips and in the mouth. The surest way to prevent syphilis is not to have sex, to have sex only with someone who’s not infected and who has sex only with you, or to use condoms the right way every single time you have sex.
CDC information on transmission and prevention of Syphilis
|
|
Treatment
Syphilis is easy to cure in its early stages. A single intramuscular injection of penicillin, an antibiotic, will cure a person who has had syphilis for less than a year. If not treated, syphilis infection can go into the latent (hidden) stage. The disease may damage internal organs and can even cause death. All recent sex partners should be tested and treated.
CDC information on Syphilis treatment
|
|
|
|
